Launching tee for tip cats

ABSTRACT

A launch device for a game involving a preliminary step of propelling with an appropriate club an elongated projectile into the air, said launching device being comprised basically of a cubically shaped wooden block affixed on a rectangularly shaped base, or platform, which platform, in turn, is adapted to rest on the ground, the cubical, wooden block having a V-shaped notch cut into one of the side faces and upper face of said wooden block and, in addition, the rectangularly shaped platform having an inclined series of notches on the end of the platform adjacent the notched faces of the cubically shaped wooden block, into which notches one end of the projectile rests, while the approximate middle of the projectile rests in the notched area of the block so that a portion of the projectile will rest above the block in a leaning manner, from which position the player can propel the projectile vertically into the air by hitting the exposed part of the projectile above the block.

United States Patent [191 Henry 1 LAUNCHING TEE FOR TIP CATS [76] Inventor: Carl M. Henry, 1956 Franklin,

Toledo, Ohio 43624 [22] Filed: Apr. 18, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 352,212

[52] US. Cl 273/95 F, 248/455 [51] Int. Cl A63b 71/02 [58] Field of Search... 273/95 R, 95 E, 95 F, 102 R,

273/102 S, 105 R, 106 R; 248/454, 455, 456

Primary Examiner-Richard C. Pinkham Assistant Examiner-Marvin Siskind Attorney, Agent, or Firm-'George R. Royer [4 June 18, 1974 A launch device for a game involving a preliminary step of propelling with an appropriate club an elongated projectile into the air, said launching device being comprised basically of a cubically shaped wooden block affixed on a rectangularly shaped base, or platform, which platform, in turn, is adapted to rest on the ground, the cubical, wooden block having a V shaped notch cut into one of the side faces and upper face of said wooden block and, in addition, the rectangularly shaped platfonn having an inclined series of notches on the end of the platform adjacent the notched faces of the cubically shaped wooden block, into which notches one end of the projectile rests, while the approximate middle of the projectile rests in the notched area of the block so that a portion of the projectile will rest above the block in a leaning manner, from which position the player can propel the projectile vertically into the air by hitting the exposed part of the projectile above the block.

2 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures i v 20 1 l ll l9 as |2N Q L; ,v -|4 memes PATENTEDJUH 18 m4 FIGJ BACKGROUND OF THE PRIOR ART In the prior art of athletic games there are a variety of forms which are based around the use of a club or bat to be appropriately swung by the player in order to propel some form of a projectile from a position of rest. In several games the projectile takes the form of an elongated projectile, and in certain specific game variations, the initial purpose is to propel the birdie vertically upward into the air and once the birdie is in the air, the player strikes it again in order to propel the projectile in a generally horizontal direction towards a target zone of some manner. This sporting venture has been played by children for many years and has been formalized into various game forms, some replete with rules for scoring and playing. One such game formalization is seen inU.S. Pat. No. 2,993,696 (Demaline, entitled An Outdoor Game). Shown in the Demaline patent is a truncated pyramid base with a rounded top upon which the projectile is rested for initial impact. Other forms of bases for projectiles have been seen in the prior art, however, one main disadvantage of these projectile bases is that they do not have the requisite stability when one strikes at the projectile. Another disadvantage is that the projectile often becomes wedged in the base. A more vivid picture of this situation can be realized when one visualizes a player striking at a projectile on a support having no solid base on the ground. Under such circumstances, the projectile support can be easily knocked over and itself propelled along the ground when the club makes an impact at the projectile and part of the club hits the base. It is thusly essential that the base be stabilized in some manner so that when the projectile is struck it can alight without the base support member also flying into the air in one or another direction. As a result of achieving base stability, the projectile will then travel a better flight path. As a consequence, one can readily see the need for a more stable base for the type of projectile used in games as described.

For the reasons above stated and because of the apparent need for a more stable base for birdies, the following are objects of this invention:

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved projectile base for sporting games;

It is yet another object of this invention to provide a better basesystem for an object which is to be propelled by a club;

Still another object of this invention is to provide an improved tee for sporting games;

Itis also an object of this invention to provide an improved system for hitting projectiles in sporting games.

Other and further objects in this invention will become obvious from the following drawings taken in conjunction with the written description.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of the launching block which incorporates the subject invention, showing in phantom a longitudinal projectile bar resting in the inclined position on the block.

FIG. 2 is a top elevational view of the launching block FIG. 3 is an end view of the cubical wooden block as viewing the notch from a front elevational view.

DESCRIPTION OF THE GENERAL EMBODIMENT This invention is a launching device for a sporting game variation using a longitudinal and cylindrically shaped projectile commonly known as a birdie, which is adapted to be propelled into the air on an initial vertical path, to be hit again while airborne on the vertical path, and propelled on a horizontally oriented flight.

The launching'device is comprised of a rectangularly shaped base member which is normally disposed in a horizontal position on the ground. A cubically shaped block is affixed with its lowest face being flush with the upper surface of the rectangular base member. Further, the cubical block is affixed to the rectangular base member in such a position that the central vertically extending axis of the cubical block is located approximately one third the distance from the one end of the rectangular block, said ends being defined as the two respective shorter ends of the rectangle. Affixed on that end of the rectangular base which is the longest distance from the wooden block is a series of notched steps which are inclined upwardly as said steps lead away from the cubical block towards the extreme end of the rectangular base. The last of these steps is even with the adjacent extreme end of the rectangular base members of said block.

Cut into the uppermost face of the cubical block member and the adjoining vertical face of said block which faces directly towards the inclined steps isa V shaped notch having an angular span of greater than The longitudinal and cylindrically shaped projectile can be placed at its one end in one of the inclined steps, while the middle of such projectile is rested in the V-shaped notch such that the one end thereof extends upwardly above cubical block member as shown in the drawings.

A player propels the projectile vertically into the air in a spinning fashion by striking the upper exposed portion of the projectile. Once in the air the projectile is struck again in a horizontal direction towards an intended target.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings in which a preferred embodiment is shown; a launching device 8 is shown. Launching device 8 has a rectangularly shaped base member 10. Base 10 is preferably composed of a durable substance such as molded plastic, or a hardened rubber. The base 10 has a thickness of approximately 60 per cent as wide as its length. In addition, rectangular base member 10 has an end 12 and an end 14, each such end being located for definition purposes on the respective shorter sides of the rectangle defined by the base.

Afflxed to the upper surface of base 10 is a cubically shaped block 16, made preferable of molded plastic. The most desirable constructional arrangement is to manufacture the cubically shaped block member 16 and base member 10 as one molded piece, preferable about three or four times the thickness of the base member 10, as above described. As further dimensional perspective, it is preferable that the area of the upper face of the cubical block 16 is about 20 per cent of the upper surface area of base 10. The upper surface of block 16 is flat.

The cubical block 16 is affixed to the base member such that its lowermost face is flush with the upper surface of base member 10. The optimal location of the cubical block 16 on base 10 is in such a position wherein the central vertically extending axis of the cubical block 16 intersects the upper surface of said rectangular base 10 at a point from end 12 which is about one-third of the lineal distance of the total lineal distance between said end 12 and end 14, as can readily be seen in FIGS. 1 and 2.

Affixed onto that area of rectangular base member 10 which is immediately adjacent to end 14 is a series of inclined notches similar to a series of inclined steps. More specifically, an inclined member 18 is affixed to the base member near end 14. It is most optimal and preferable to include the inclined member 18 as on integrally molded part of the molded unit comprising the block 16 and base 10.

The inclined member 18 has a series of notches 19 of 90 span. The sides of these notches form angles of 45 with the plane of the upper surface of the base member 10, as seen in FIG. 1.

A V-shaped notch is cut into the edge of cubical block 16 formed by the junction of uppermost facing side of cubical block 16 and the side face of said block which is directed toward the inclined member 18. The respective sides 22 and 24 of the V-shaped notch form an angle exceeding 90, as represented in FIGS. 2 and 3. The bottom crevice of such notch is aligned in a longitudinal direction with the longitudinal and horizontally extending axis of the inclined member 18.

An elongated and cylindrically shaped projectile 30, shown in phantom in FIG. 1 is placed on the launching device as described hereinbelow. The one end of projectile 30 is placed in one of the notches 19, as shown in FIG. 1, while the approximate middle of the projectile 30 is then seated in the V-shaped notch 20 so that the one end of the projectile projects upwardly at an angle into the air beyond the top of the block, as shown.

A player strikes the projectile 30 in the area exposed above the upper surface of block 16 causing the projectile to rise vertically into the air in a spinning fashion, and it is then subsequently struck a second time while in the air for propulsion on a horizontal flight path. The degree of tilt or angular disposition of the projectile, as it rests on the launching device, can be varied by placing the one end of the projectile in the various notch positions as shown in FIG. 1. If the projectile is placed in the lowermost notch it will rest at a higher angle in the notch 20 and thus extend at a height into the air above block 16.

By using a base 10 having an area about five times as large as the area of a face of block 16, the launching device becomes more stabilized. Additionally, by virtue of the fact that the angular span of notch 20 is greater than the projectile will not wedge in the notch, thereby making its vertical movement on impact more facile.

The foregoing description is for purposes of describing a preferred embodiment only and is not intended to limit the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A launching device for a cylindrical and longitudinally extending projectile comprising:

a. a rectangular base platform having two respective ends defined by its respective shorter sides;

b. a cubical block affixed to the upper surface of said base platform, said cubical block having a V- shaped notch which exceeds 90 in span in one of the upper edges thereof;

0. step member comprised of a series of notched steps of successively higher vertical height, said step member being separate from said cubical block member, said step member being located on the one end of the base platform which is nearest to the edge of the cubical block containing the V- shaped notch, wherein one end of the longitudinal projectile can be set in one of the notched steps on said step member and the middle of said projectile placed in the V-shaped notch.

2. A launching device for a cylindrical and longitudinally extending projectile comprising:

a. a rectangular base platform member having two ends;

b. a cubical member integrally affixed to the upper surface of said base platform, said cubical member having a notch exceeding 90 in span for holding a portion of the projectile;

c. a series of notched steps facing the edge of the block which has the V-shaped notch therein, said notched steps having one side thereof aligned parallel to the upper surface of the rectangular base platform, said notches adapted to hold one end of the projectile. 

1. A launching device for a cylindrical and longitudinally extending projectile comprising: a. a rectangular base platform having two respective ends defined by its respective shorter sides; b. a cubical block affixed to the upper surface of said base platform, said cubical block having a V-shaped notch which exceeds 90* in span in one of the upper edges thereof; c. step member comprised of a series of notched steps of successively higher vertical height, said step member being separate from said cubical block member, said step member being located on the one end of the base platform which is nearest to the edge of the cubical block containing the V-shaped notch, wherein one end of the longitudinal projectile can be set in one of thE notched steps on said step member and the middle of said projectile placed in the V-shaped notch.
 2. A launching device for a cylindrical and longitudinally extending projectile comprising: a. a rectangular base platform member having two ends; b. a cubical member integrally affixed to the upper surface of said base platform, said cubical member having a notch exceeding 90* in span for holding a portion of the projectile; c. a series of notched steps facing the edge of the block which has the V-shaped notch therein, said notched steps having one side thereof aligned parallel to the upper surface of the rectangular base platform, said notches adapted to hold one end of the projectile. 